RZA

I got a new sketchbook yesterday. I got a Moleskine, my second one. I usually am quite tentative when I start a new one. What I mean is, that I try and make everything I draw perfect. The last couple are full of scribble and half formed ideas and crappy drawing. Trying to be less precious about it, drawing for drawings sake.

This is a sketch of the RZA. Five minutes with ink and wash. I quite like it. :)

Kisune

Well, these are the two paintings I mentioned in a previous post. The photographs are bit blurred, sorry. I took a couple but the weather conditions were making merry hell of my photos.
The one on the right doesn't look too bad with the blur in my opinion. I'll re-take them at some point, probably when the 3rd one is finished. Though I've only prepared the back ground so far and I'm a busy man.

These are the biggest paintings I've done since the beginning of 2012, so I'm kind of out of practice but I enjoyed them and I feel I got back into the swing of things quite quickly. I have the least experience with acrylic paint than oil and watercolour as well.
I hope you like them.

Recent birds, which I seem to draw a lot

 Working with inks and watercolours together. I quite like how they came out.

Ghost Frog

I still feel guilty about accidently killing a baby frog when I was 10 years old.

Refining my lines

Mangy Fox.

I really enjoy reading fairy tales and  folklore, these days that of other countries. I enjoy Scandinavian and Japanese folklore the most. Mostly due to me, it seems the most alien to the stories I'm used to.
This is a rough, for a painting I've since completed and subsequently expanded into another picture. I don't usually complete rough paintings, though I had trouble visualising certain aspects of picture in sketch form.
It's based on the fox folklore of Japan called Kitsune. In it's simplest form is basically foxes transform back and forth into women. The perception of foxes is more positive than in the western world, which is another reason I like the stories. Foxes are up there with Tigers in terms of beauty to me. I haven't posted the painting, as it's bigger than usual and I need to photograph it.

Some doodles of various quality.

 I was just trying to keep drawing, whether or not I had a good idea or not.

Butterflies

 Butterflies are the best insects in the world visually. Bees are the best insects of all time, mostly because of honey. They look cool too.
Anyway, I was trying to work out of a concept, that in the end didn't really work. It started out, as something and changed into something. It makes more sense with the sketchbook doodles, though in these images it's difficult to explain what I aiming for. Anyway, some okay-looking pictures.

Birds on Birds

 I get some crazy, nonsensical concepts in my head sometimes. I have always like drawing people without their eyes open or their faces cover or obscured. David Choe does it all the time, as does James Jean. I wasn't copying them. I quite like it visually I guess. Another particular favourite of mine is drawing birds. They are as good as drawing fish and insects, if not better.

Light/Dark/Pitch Black

This is the ink version of a painting I previously posted. http://gregorystephenson.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/intermission-painting.html I prefer this one, as the grain on the painting made me look sloppy.

Rye

 I'm not really a fan of drawing things that I have no interest in. Hence it's always faces of people and animals that I draw or paint. However, sometimes I'm know to branch out a little bit. I had some time off work, and I currently live in a crappy part of the country, so I went on a day trip to Rye, Sussex. It's a small village, that is full of quirky and interesting buildings. Dave McKean, probably my favourite illustrator/artist exhibits there, and has a new show in September called Blue Tree opening soon.
I'm rambling again. Right, I thought I'd better get used to drawing things I've had trouble with in the past. Which it seems are things that are unforgiving when it comes to perspective, it's not that I can't draw them, it's more it is more difficult getting it right straight away.Also I have the tendency to avoid drawing from life, mainly I seem to attract people to me who ask me questions and I don't like that so much. So, I sat down and drew the basic line-work on location, took a couple of photos and finished them at home.

My brother's birthday card.

I hate spending money on something that someone will probably throw away the next day. That said, my brother probably threw this away, that is the kind of guy he is. Either way, I always make cards for birthdays and Christmas. I don't send too many, so isn't really a chore. I usually make cards for the ones I know I'll get grieve from, if they don't get one. It's a system that works for me.
Anyway, this is basically a Raccoon with a balloon. Why? Who knows. I quite like it, I'll be annoyed if he has binned it.

Smokin' Joe Frazier

I love combat sports, these days it's more MMA-orientated. Largely because of the problems with boxing in my opinion. I still watch boxing, but it is in a strange place at the moment.

My biggest issue is the different boxing councils, 4 or 5 different titles at each weight class is now outdated. In terms of competition, it makes no-sense and takes the prestige away. Each council has their own agenda and ideas too, and it is focused, sadly around money. I understand, it is a factor, but it is a sport and it is supposed to be entertaining. Boxers get to a certain level and the stumping point for most fights happening is financial or political. Pacquaio vs. Mayweather should have happened in 2009, it still hasn't happened and it would create a great deal of interest. I also think another issue is the fighter's records are these day inflated, fights are picked to build them up rather than challenge them, crushing cans to build stock. Also I always think to judge the health of boxing is looking at it's rivalries, and it's heavyweight division. If these two elements are combined; even better. We've had the Tyson/Holyfield/Lewis one as the most recent decent one, but the Ali/Foreman/Frazier one is the defining HW dogfight. There was drama, and electricity. I've liked Smokin' Joe, because he always seemed like a gentleman, a decent guy who could fight. He was the real Rocky Balboa story and enhanced the sport.

Bear Skull

 This is the same painting, in two forms. I have loved painted skulls since school. I'm a bit funny in actually touching them, but I'd go as far to say after painting/drawing people, skulls would be second.
My college had a collection of decent skulls, the crocodile one being a particular favourite. As a subject, they provide an interest challenge in terms of shape and texture. The painting on the left was a quick acrylic painting, and the one below was me trying to create a style I could take further into other subjects. I quite like the way it turned out too.

The Dark Knight Rises

Some insignificant doodles after I saw the new Batman film.

Unlike most people, I think the purest form that Batman has appeared in is the Warner Brothers animated series in the 90s. I think they covered everything that makes Batman great, all the elements were there, visually, in terms of character and writing. I think the people who have seen it agree. It has Batman, using actual detective skill, Nolan touched upon it in places, but I think it's one of the stronger elements of the character. Seeing as he is just an ordinary guy, in a powers sense.


I like the comics and have really rated the Morrison and Snyder runs recently.
I think Nolan has done a decent job. I still think that as individual films they are flawed. I'm not convinced 'The Dark Knight' is a great film, after Rachel is killed it loses it's way for me. Though as a trilogy, a journey of emotion it makes more sense and feels complete.

Plus, it is a vast improvement over the film that includes the line "It's Ice to see you".

Mad Dog Summer by Joe R.Lansdale

 18 months ago, I read a collection of short stories someone lent me called 999. It was a collection of horror-type stories and the story, Mad  Dog Summer was recommended as the stand-out. I like American gothic stories, always have done. There is something about them, I can't really say more than that. I mean I would, but I cannot really explain what it is. Anyway, Mad Dog Summer is really good, and the imagery is strong and I meant to do a couple of doodles based on that story.
This pictures aren't really representative of the story, as much as what I thought one of the character looked like to me as I read it.

Denzel got an Oscar for Training Day?!

I've wanted to watch Training Day for a while. I like Denzel Washington and I do prefer it when he is 'baddie', or a morally suspect character. Though, this film was disappointing. It kind of goes through the motions and is quite generic. Dr Dre cannot act menacing. Sneering isn't acting, son. Washington is better in most of his other things, even Safe House. Dear oh dear.

Intermission painting

I don't know how this painting and creativity things work.
This for instance, came about because I was painting something else. Though nothing was working, I kept on hitting dead -ends. The concept wasn't as good as I hoped, and it kind of translated badly into the painting. So, I threw it aside and got some reference and whacked this one out in a hour. It means nothing. I like drawing faces with the eyes closed (easier as David Choe remarks) and birds are awesome. Simples.

The Dark Knight Rises

To say, I enjoy Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy wouldn't be true at all. I like Batman in comic book form, it hasn't always garnered the best stories but recently it is one of the better comics. Grant Morrison had a decent run, but Scott Snyder has taken it to the next level I think. The Black Mirror was a superb stand-alone TPB and the Court of the Owls is a revitalised spin on the best aspects of Batman and everything that surrounds that idea.
Anyway, I 'like' Batman Begins and I think The Dark Knight flounders badly once Rachel is killed and Dent's fall from grace begins. Also if that film didn't have Heath Ledger it would half the film it is. However, I like how The Dark Knight Rises dealt with the the journey of the character and how it enhances other aspects in the previous films. The ending also, wasn't the ending we needed but the ending we deserved.

My interpretation of Alien 3, I guess.

I like to do a drawing or a painting whilst being distracted by a film sometimes. Usually, if I've already seen it so I don't miss anything. I usually listen to podcasts, so I don't get too influenced.
The reason I like to draw while being distracted, is so how the influence of what I'm watching comes through my drawing. Sometimes it's subtle or bears no link to the film whatsoever. Though my theory is there has to be something that seeps through, intentionally or not.
I've rambled about this long enough.